ISRAEL: Ban On Anti-LGBT Discrimination Fails In Knesset Committee

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Monday voted down a bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT people in any way. The legislation, proposed by MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid), would make any law prohibiting discrimination based on gender, age, country of origin, etc. apply to LGBT people as well. “Only Gila Gamliel had the courage to support the amendment,” Shelah pointed out. “Such a simple matter, that all laws prohibiting discrimination should apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, did not get the approval of the current government,” Shelah said. “On Pride Week, some of the Likud tried to paint rainbows on their faces. Don’t be fooled: Behind that, you’ll find their true faces.” In the last Knesset, when Yesh Atid was still in the coalition, the committee approved the bill with support of Likud ministers, but it did not become law before an election was called.

The country’s Equal Employment Law already outlaws discrimination in work based on sexual orientation – but anti-discrimination legislation is still patchwork, with gender identity not included. Same-sex marriages are recognised in Israel, but must be conducted overseas as only Jewish, Christian, Muslim or Druze religious authorities can perform marriages, and none offer gay couples the chance to marry. Like mixed faith straight couples, gay couples must marry in another country such as France or Canada, but once they do, they are recognised as a married couple in the Jewish state. The Israeli Parliament has repeatedly voted against introducing civil marriage for gay and straight couples.